An exhibition titled «Salam» has opened in Dubai, bringing together contemporary visual experiences in Arabic calligraphy, design, and typography. The exhibition reflects the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan and the values of Islam, including peace, contemplation, and harmony. Participating artists explore the transformation of calligraphic heritage into a contemporary visual language through artistic and abstract approaches to the Arabic script.
The exhibition aims to reflect the vision of the UAE as a society that brings people together in moments of contemplation, solidarity, and connection. Through these typographical experiences, visitors are invited to pause, reflect, and discover the spirit of the Arabic letter. The exhibition gathers artists from diverse backgrounds and generations, each presenting their unique vision of the letter within a special and varied visual context.
Artist Wasam Shoukat, who presented four works, spoke about his approach to the word «peace». He explained that his design breaks from the traditional «Thuluth» script, featuring innovation in composition and transforming letters into abstract forms. He emphasized the importance of color in his work, using calm colors like light blue, symbolizing open space and tranquility, and green.
Artist Ali Aziz, on the other hand, presented works inspired by the Quran. Each painting reflects a specific event from the lives of prophets. He sought to present Arabic calligraphy in an expressive style that conveys his feelings, combining decorative forms with drawings to create a unique concept for the viewer. Ali Aziz relied solely on black and white, wanting the emotional impact on the viewer to take center stage without the distraction of color.
The exhibition also features a diverse group of artists, including Abdelrahman Shihin, Ahmed Mansour, Ahmed Zuhra, Anas Ala, Bashar Asila, Ihab Hamzawi, Ibrahim Zaky, Mahmoud Abdelghany, Marzouk Zaawili, Mohamed Abdelaziz, Mohamed Hassan, Ramez Rajab, Salma Hisham, Sami Al-Dabb, Taha Asl, Wael Markas, and Walid Abou Doh. Ibrahim Zaky participated with five artworks, including three paintings from the series «The Most Beautiful Names» (Al-Asma al-Husna), presented in a square Kufic script where he deliberately highlighted the «strength» of the letter as if it were a crown in the center of the composition.
